Do Hard Stuff
A good friend that I run with on a regular basis gave me a sticker the other day that said “Comfort is a slow death – Do hard stuff” (except he used a more adult word than “stuff”). As I was putting that sticker on a water bottle it struck me that this philosophy is […]
There is Value in Looking Backward
You have probably heard the saying that a windshield is large, and a rearview mirror is small so you should spend your time looking forward rather than living in the past. While that is great life advice, it isn’t always applicable in the world of compliance. Every compliance program should have goals and desired objectives […]
The Power of Perseverance
Over the weekend I volunteered at a 100 mile trail race. Yes, people signed up and paid money to run 100 miles on a very hard course. The race consisted of five 20 mile loops over a route that had hundreds of railroad tie stairs, climbs up bluffs overlooking the Mississippi River, rocks, roots and […]
Why Do Things Go Bump in the Night?
A featured speaker at this year’s CP-HIPAASoutions HIPAA Forum is FBI Special Agent Jeff Huber who is an expert in cybersecurity, and all the ways the “bad guys” work to gain access to very valuable personally identifiable information. In the world of health care, the protected health information providers have on their computer networks, and […]
There is Never a Time When Quality is the Wrong Choice
There is no dispute that staffing is the number one concern of every health care provider right now. Most organizations can’t find enough people to work, so senior leadership is being forced to take a much more active role in providing direct care. The burnout factor is sky high, and sometimes it feels like there […]
Who is Looking at What?
I am currently serving as the Interim Compliance Officer for a client with a pretty sophisticated electronic health record. This client has been without a formal compliance officer for a while so the compliance program is in need of some attention. One of the first things I was asked to do was conduct an access […]
How Important is Program Evaluation?
By now, every provider should have the infrastructure of a compliance program in place. The seven elements of an effective compliance program are well publicized and there are numerous resources available to providers for building a program. But, building a compliance program, putting policies and procedures in place, naming a compliance officer and having a […]
Even the Small Fish Provide Good Food
Many of the people who read this blog work for small health care providers, often in rural areas, that don’t have resources to invest in the latest technology and security measures. Often, when asked why the IT system has not been updated, the response is, “we are small, the bad guys are after bigger fish.” […]
Summer Hard, but Don’t Let Your Guard Down!
I heard someone say they expected people to “summer hard” this year since no one could do much of anything last summer. From what I have seen so far, those words are very true. It seems the highways are busier, the lakes are buzzing with more people, boats, and jet skis than ever before, and […]
Culture – Written in Sand Rather Than Set in Stone
We hear a lot about culture these days. It seems every business management guru says the culture of the organization is the foundation for everything that happens. I tend to agree with that statement; without a solid culture, the organization can often function more like a ship without a rudder, or a child chasing the […]
Back to the Basics
This past weekend I had the honor of participating in my daughter’s wedding. It was a wonderful event! Weddings are a time of new beginnings, but it seems the advice everyone gives the bride and groom focuses on the basics such as communication, respect, not letting anger get the best of you, etc. The same […]
Some Perspective & Gratitude
As I am writing this blog post I have just finished “attending” the virtual Compliance Institute which is the annual conference for compliance professionals, advisors, regulators and other governmental officials. After listening and participating in presentations for the last four days I am struck by how much the field of compliance has changed when so […]